SHOW TIME AT THE POLK STREET SCHOOL

Three simple plays based on Giff's popular Polk Street books: The Candy Corn Contest, The Secret at the Polk Street School, and Fancy Feet. Each is introduced by the kids in Ms. Rooney's room who are planning a class play--a device that works well for conveying useful production tips. Staging ideas, property lists, costume suggestions, and makeup advice are all included, as well as the usual casts and settings. The tightly focused plays lack the warmth, richness, and detail of the original stories; still, for the harried teacher, this could be a splendid resource for independent group work. Children who love the books will also enjoy producing the plays on their own, or using them as models for creating other plays. A solid introduction for aspiring thespians.